


It's Time

by RinAsami



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: A Tribute to Lost Fur Babies, Death of a pet, Dedicated to my sweet baby Kyla, Heartbreaking, M/M, extremely sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-03 14:13:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10968897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RinAsami/pseuds/RinAsami
Summary: There comes a time in every pet owner's life where they have to make the most heart-wrenching decision—whether or not to put down a beloved companion. Victor and Yuri have come to the devastating decision that it is time to say goodbye to sweet Makkachin.





	It's Time

 

 

* * *

 

 

Makkachin watched, huddled in a corner as his two owners paced, tears running down their pained faces. Victor paused, grabbing Yuri to stop him from wearing a line in the carpet. “Yuri, love, this can’t continue.” The young Japanese man moved first to push his husband away, then fisted his fingers through his shirt, pulling the other toward him. Yuri buried his head in Victor’s shoulder, soaking it with tears. The Russian whispered calming words as he rubbed his lover’s back and listened to the incoherent mumbles that left the other man’s lips.

“I know, baby. Just let it out. I’m crying too, sweetheart. Don’t make me the bad guy...please.” Victor murmured. The comment jolted Yuri out of his pain for a moment. “Oh, Victor! I never meant to make you the bad guy,” he whined, choking back a sob. His chest hurt so bad that it made it hard to speak. “I just,” he continued, “I can’t do this…not after what happened to Vicchan. I miss him so much.”

Victor gently pressed on Yuri’s shoulders to get the mess of a man to face him then cupped his tear-stained face. The older skater’s eyes were red, face swollen—the same as Yuri’s. “I know you love Makka very much, just as you loved Vicchan. Believe me, sweetheart, I know—Makkachin has been by my side through so much. He has been my rock throughout my stressful competitions, bouts with depression, and the battle with myself on whether I should come to Japan or not to be your coach. He’s witnessed more parts to my personality than even you have, my dear Yuri. I don’t want to lose him either.”

Yuri wiped the tears from his cheeks, letting out a sigh and clutched his lover’s wrists, pulling them down off his face. “I know you don’t, but maybe…maybe there is some treatment that we can try to…”

Victor cut him off. “No. No, Yuri, we aren’t going to put him through that. Makka is already thirteen years old; he’s lived a fantastic life and gone more places than most people have in their longer lifetimes. I think you know as well as I do that we can’t let him suffer because we want him around a little longer. You weren’t there when Vicchan passed and I know that bothers you, but you have to forgive yourself. We can’t let our beloved poodle suffer in pain from a disease that can’t be cured. Cancer is an awful, terrible illness, but making him pass in pain is much worse than giving him a peaceful death.” The older skater choked on the knot in his throat at the last word he spoke. He was the one this time to collapse into Yuri’s chest to sob uncontrollably.

“Oh, Victor.” Yuri brushed his fingers through the silver locks. “I love you so much, and I am so sorry. I hate this. I don’t want to do this; it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” He heard a pain-filled, “God, yes,” from the damp part of his shirt. The pair stayed wrapped in each other’s arms for several minutes, falling apart together. Both looked down as they heard shuffling and a whine at their feet. Makkachin had inched his way over to lay near them then nuzzled and licked their toes as if to tell them to stop fussing over him.

Victor dropped to his knees and ran his fingers through the poodle’s soft curls, burying his head into the scruff. Yuri followed, capturing both the dog and his husband in a loving embrace. Taking his glasses off, Yuri stroked Victor’s hair with one hand and Makka’s with the other. “Vitya and I love you so much boy; don’t ever forget that. We’re sorry for fighting and carrying on in front of you. I know it must make you anxious feeling the tension in the room.” The dog whined as he nosed his original owner’s nose. Victor leaned to give the cold wetness a kiss. “You’re such a good boy, Makkachin. Thank you so much for everything. You were always there for me, and we’ll be there for you. I couldn’t have asked for a better companion for so many years.” The heartfelt words muffled as he spoke them into the fur, but Yuri could hear most of it, and it made his soul even heavier as the admission struck him in the heart like a knife. He hated feeling so distraught, but more so, he hated seeing his ever strong husband in such agony.

The alarm rang on Victor’s phone—he didn’t want to get up to turn it off. It took Yuri getting up to stop the song, _On Love: Eros_ from playing a second time as Victor clung to his sweet fur baby. The younger skater knelt down, running a hand up his lover’s back comfortingly. “Baby, it’s time,” Yuri murmured. As Victor got up, Yuri took his hand so they could get their jackets and the leash together. They grasped one another’s hand tightly before breaking to put the collar on. As they walked outside a new round of tears started when the sound of labored breathing echoed on the cool breeze. Victor had to stop and pick up Makka as the walk from their apartment to the car proved too stressful for the ailing animal.

The two men held hands the entire way to the St. Petersburg Animal Hospital with Yuri driving and Victor riding passenger with his baby on his lap. The older skater sat with his fingers gently massaging his poodle to calm him while attempting to quietly sob so he wouldn’t distract Yuri from driving. When they arrived at the hospital, they decided to wait in the car for a bit to steel themselves for what was to be the most traumatic experience they’d faced to date.

Yuri moved to exit the car after looking at the clock, they were about to miss their appointment, but as much as he’d love to start the car and return home, he knew it wouldn’t be the right choice. A hand squeezing his painfully stopped his movement. He looked back into red tear-filled ocean eyes. “Yuri, I can’t…I can’t…be there when he goes. I’ll stay until he goes to sleep, but I can’t watch when they give him the other shot.” Victor’s voice trembled the more he spoke. “Do you…do you think that would be okay? Would he hate me?” he asked his husband in a small, almost child-like voice.

The younger man reached over to clear the tears off his love’s cheeks. “Sweetheart, Makka could never hate you—ever. That sounds like an excellent plan, and I think Makkachin would want us to do what is most comfortable for you. He wouldn’t want us to be in any more pain than necessary, just like we want for him.” Yuri leaned in to place a chaste kiss on his husband’s trembling lips before moving back and swallowing the lump in his throat. “Thank you, Yuri…for being here with me for this.”

“Victor, Makka is as much mine as he is yours now and I’d be here with you whether we were married or just friends. I’m here for you and him. I love you both so very much.” He ran his hand through the dog’s fur, stopping to squeeze the hand he found buried in the tan curls. “Come on, babe. Let’s go,” he nodded his head toward the building ahead. The pair exited the car and walked silently into the office with Victor carrying his beloved poodle who was too weak to even struggle in his arms.

The room was sterile white and looked every bit of a doctor’s office except for the row of dog treat containers that spanned the counter top. Makkachin was curled up on the metal table; his gurgled breathing could be heard over the Veterinarian’s voice as she spoke with the couple. She gave the men a few minutes alone with their fur baby as she prepared the injections in the back room. Yuri and Victor stood in front of their poodle taking turns nuzzling him and giving him a barrage of kisses. They broke out in sobs as Makka raised his head slightly to give each of his owners a lick on their faces before slumping back down.

The doctor knocked before returning to the small room. She patted both men on the back, squeezing their hands in sympathy. She explained to them once more that it will be painless for their boy and that they should not feel guilty for making the hardest choice a pet owner ever has to make. As she readied the first needle, Victor bent down and whispered into Makka’s ear. “I love you boy. Such a good boy. So brave and strong for being with me and taking care of me all these years. Thank you, always, my Makkachin. Just rest easy, now. I love you so much—always.” Yuri kept a comforting arm around his husband’s waist as he knelt down to say his goodbyes. “Makka, boy, thank you so much for watching over Vitya. I am forever grateful to you for loving him—for loving me. You’ll be in our hearts forever, boy. I love you.”

Yuri stood and embraced his husband tightly. The tears flowed freely for a few minutes as they hid their heads in one another’s shoulders. Victor took a deep breath and gazed into Yuri’s eyes before turning to the doctor and nodding his head. The husbands each grabbed ahold of a paw, uttering a heartbreaking, “Goodbye our good boy, Makka,” in unison as the tranquilizer was administered. The poodle drifted off quickly into a peaceful looking sleep within seconds. Yuri quietly uttered their thanks to the doctor as he turned to walk his husband out of the room. He let her know before exiting that they’d be back for their boy’s ashes when they were ready. Yuri would make a shrine in one of the rooms at their home to honor their beloved pet. Victor wasn’t sure about keeping the ashes but agreed if it would help Yuri and himself find closure later.

They drove home in silence and sat together on the sofa in each other’s arms rocking one another. “I’ll be alright, Victor. We’ll get through this together, sweetheart.” Victor nodded. “I know we will. We can do anything together. I’m so thankful that you are here with me during this—I don’t think I could have dealt with it this well alone. Thank you, my love.” Yuri kissed the top of his silver clad head. “You’re stronger than you think but thank you just the same. I’m glad to be here with you, no matter how much it hurts. We both loved him, and he loved us.” The pair settled down, Victor laying on top of Yuri as they drifted off into a fitful sleep. It was so painful but an inevitable hurdle that every pet owner would have to go through some time or the other. One day at a time is what they would strive for—little by little the pain would morph into fond memories of love they lost. It didn’t matter how awful they felt at the moment; they would never take back the wonderful years they had with a truly one of a kind dog.

 

* * *

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This story is a dedication to my sweet dog, Kyla. I was told recently that there is nothing they can do for the accumulating fluid in her abdomen as at her age of almost 13 years it is probably liver failure or cancer. I had to say goodbye to her today, May 22, 2017 as I cannot in good conscience let her go on with breathing and movement difficulties. I felt I had to do something in her honor. May we meet again my sweet baby on the rainbow bridge in the hereafter. I love you so much Kyla and wish there was something we could do to give you a few more years with us.
> 
> Rest in peace my sweet baby, who will always be my puppy, Kyla.


End file.
